Guide to Topics & Questions Asked

National Survey of Children's Health 2017

The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health a­nd Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Between August 2017 and February 2018, participants were mailed an invitation to complete a household screener and then a child-level questionnaire online using a secure, confidential website. Additionally, participants were provided the opportunity to complete a mailed, paper version of the household screener and questionnaire instead of the web-based materials. Below is a guide to the questions asked on the screener and child-level questionnaires. As in previous editions of the surveys, some variables in the public use file may be recoded to ensure consistency and ease of use. These recoded variables will appear in the public use file but will not appear in the table below.

KEY
^ Denotes that survey item is new to the 2017 NSCH (vs. 2016 NSCH). New items are noted in green font.
* Denotes that item content has substantively changed in the 2017 NSCH (vs. 2016 NSCH) and are noted in red font.
∝ Denotes that response option for the survey item has substantively changed in the 2017 NSCH (vs. 2016 NSCH).
• Indicates a list of questions under one question stem.
[ ] Complex skip patterns are explained in brackets.
x No number was assigned to this survey question. This question is nested within another survey item.
- Question does not exist in this version of the survey
No symbol: Indented questions represent question sequences and are used if the respondent answered “yes” or gave a response other than “no” or “0” to the primary, non-indented question.

CLICK on the question numbers in blue text below to view the full text of the question and its response options.

SECTION 1: Pre-Survey Screener (Completed prior to full survey)

The screener is administered in advance of the full survey. It begins by asking an adult in the household if there are any children 0-17 years old in the home, how many children there are, and what primary language is spoken (English, Spanish, or Other (specified)). The # sign following each question number indicates which child in the household the response is referencing when there is more than one child in the household.

The following questions are then asked about each of the four youngest children living in the home:

Has a doctor or other health care provider EVER told you that this child has any other mental health condition? If yes, specify (ANYOTHER)

A27

A28

A28

If YES to any of the items from A6 to this point, two follow up questions are asked:

x

x

x

Does this child CURRENTLY have the condition? (variable name differs based on condition)

x

x

x

If YES, Is it Mild, Moderate, or Severe? (variable name differs based on condition)

x

x

x

Has a doctor or other health care provider EVER told you that this child has Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Include diagnoses of Asperger’s Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). (K2Q35A)

How old was this child when a doctor or other health care provider FIRST told you that he or she had Autism, ASD, Asperger’s Disorder or PDD? (K2Q35A_1_YEARS)

A29

A30

A30

What type of doctor or other health care provider was the FIRST to tell you that this child had Autism, ASD, Asperger’s Disorder or PDD? (K2Q35D)

A30

A31

A31

Is this child CURRENTLY taking medication for Autism, ASD, Asperger’s Disorder or PDD? (AUTISMMED)

A31

A32

A32

At any time DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child receive behavioral treatment for Autism, ASD, Asperger’s Disorder or PDD, such as training or an intervention that you or this child received to help with his or her behavior? (AUTISMTREAT)

A32

A33

A33

Has a doctor or other health care provider EVER told you that this child has Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, that is, ADD or ADHD? (K2Q31A)

At any time DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child receive behavioral treatment for ADD or ADHD, such as training or an intervention that you or this child received to help with his or her behavior? (ADDTREAT)

A35

A36

A36

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how often have this child’s health conditions or problems affected his or her ability to do things other children his or her age do? (HCABILITY)

A36

A37

A37

To what extent do this child’s health conditions or problems affect his or her ability to do things? (HCEXTENT)

A37

A38

A38

B. This Child as an Infant

Was this child born more than 3 weeks before his or her due date? (K2Q05)

How old was this child when he or she was FIRST fed anything other than breast milk or formula? (FRSTSOLIDS) (K6Q43R_NEVER)

B7

-

-

C. Health Care Services

Health Care Visits

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child see a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional for sick-child care, well-child check-ups, physical exams, hospitalizations or other kind of medical care? (S4Q01)

C1

C1

C1

If yes, DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how many times did this child visit a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional to receive a PREVENTIVE check-up? (K4Q20R)

C2

C2

C2

Thinking about the LAST TIME you took this child for a preventive check-up, about how long was the doctor or health care provider who examined this child in the room with you? (DOCROOM)^

C3

C3

C3

At his or her LAST preventive check-up, did this child have a chance to speak with a doctor or other health care provider privately, without you or another adult in the room? (DOCPRIVATE)^

How much does this child CURRENTLY weight? (WEIGHT)
[†Data from the items on height and weight is not released individually, but they are combined to create a variable BMICLASS (10-17 years only) which is released]

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child’s doctors or other health care providers ask if you have concerns about this child’s learning, development, or behavior? (K6Q10)
[If child is <9 months, skip to C9]

C7

-

-

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did a doctor or other health care provider have you or another caregiver fill out a questionnaire about specific concerns or observations you may have about this child’s development, communications, or social behaviors? (K6Q12)

C8

-

-

If yes, [and child is 9-23 months], did the questionnaire ask about your concerns or observations about: [Mark ALL that apply]

Is there a place that this child USUALLY goes when he or she needs routine preventive care, such as a physical examination or well-child check-up? (USUALGO)

C11

C9

C10

If yes, is this the same place this child goes when he or she is sick? (USUALSICK)

C12

C10

C11

Vision Testing

Has this child [EVER (0-5)/DURING THE PAST 2 YEARS (6-17)] had his or her vision tested with pictures, shapes, or letters? (K4Q31_R)

C13

C11

C12

If yes, what kind of place or places did this child have his or her vision tested? (K4Q32X)

C14

C12

C13

Dental Health Care

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child see a dentist or other oral health care provider for any kind of dental or oral health care? (K4Q30_R)

C15

C13

C14

If yes, DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child see a dentist or other oral health care provider for preventive dental care, such as check-ups, dental cleanings, dental sealants, or fluoride treatments? (DENTISTVISIT)

C16

C14

C15

If yes, DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what preventive dental services did this child receive? (DENTALSERV)

C17

C15

C16

Mental Health Care and Other Types of Care

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, has this child received any treatment or counseling from a mental health professional? (K4Q22_R)

C18

C16

C17

How much of a problem was it to get the mental health treatment or counseling that this child needed? (TREATNEED)

C19

C17

C18

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, has this child taken any medication because of difficulties with his or her emotions, concentration, or behavior? (K4Q23)

C20

C18

C19

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child see a specialist other than a mental health professional? (K4Q24_R)

C21

C19

C20

How much of a problem was it to get the specialist care that this child needed? (K4Q26)

C22

C20

C21

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child use any type of alternative health care or treatment? (ALTHEALTH)

C23

C21

C22

Forgone Health Care

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, was there any time when this child needed health care but it was not received? (K4Q27)

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, were any decisions needed about this child’s health care services or treatment, such as whether to start or stop a prescription or therapy services, get a referral to a specialist, or have a medical procedure? (DECISIONS)

D5

D5

D5

If yes, DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how often did this child’s doctors or other health care providers:

D6

D6

D6

Discuss with you the range of options to consider for his or her health care or treatment? (DISCUSSOPT)

D6a

D6a

D6a

Make it easy for you to raise concerns or disagree with recommendations for the child’s health care? (RAISECONC)

D6b

D6b

D6b

Work with you to decide together which health care and treatment choices would be best for this child? (BESTFORCHILD)

D6c

D6c

D6c

Care Coordination

Does anyone help you arrange or coordinate this child’s care among the different doctors or services that this child uses? (K5Q20_R)

D7

D7

D7

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, have you felt that you could have used extra help arranging or coordinating this child’s care among the different health care providers or services? (K5Q21) {If No, skip to D10}

D8

D8

D8

If yes, DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how often did you get as much help as you wanted with arranging or coordinating this child’s health care? (K5Q22)

D9

D9

D9

Overall, how satisfied are you with the communication among this child’s doctors and other health care providers? (K5Q30)

D10

D10

D10

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did this child’s health care provider communicate with the child’s school, child care provider, or special education program? {If No OR did not need these services within the past 12 months, skip to E1} (K5Q31_R)

D11

D11

D11

If yes, overall, how satisfied are you with the health care provider’s communication with the school, child care provider, or special education program? (K5Q32)

D12

D12

D12

Transition to Adult Health Care

Do any of this child’s doctors or other health care providers treat only children? (TREATCHILD)

-

-

D13

If yes, have they talked with you about having this child eventually see doctors or other health care providers who treat adults? (TREATADULT)

-

-

D14

Has this child’s doctor or other health care provider actively worked with this child to:

Understand the changes in health care that happen at age 18? (CHANGEAGE)

-

-

D15d

Have this child’s doctors or other health care providers worked with you and this child to create a written plan to meet his or her health goals and needs? (WRITEPLAN)

-

-

D16

If yes, does this plan identify specific health goals for this child and any health needs or problems this child and any health needs or problems this child may have and how to get these needs met? (PLANNEEDS)

-

-

D17

Did you and this child receive a written copy of this plan of care? (RECEIVECOPY)

Is this child CURRENTLY covered by ANY kind of health insurance or health coverage plan? {If child is not currently covered by any kind of health insurance or health coverage plan, skip to F1} (CURRCOV)

E3

E3

E3

Is this child covered by any of the following types of health insurance or health coverage plans?

Other than you or other adults in your home, is there at least one other adult in this child’s school, neighborhood, or community who knows this child well and who he or she can rely on for advice or guidance? (K9Q96)

-

I12

I12

To the best of your knowledge, has this child EVER experienced any of the following?

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U59MC27866,National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Initiative, $4.5M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position of or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.